1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ramp. Specifically, the present invention relates to a light-weight and durable ramp that attaches to a vehicle.
2. Prior Art
The use of pick-up trucks and other light-weight vehicles for personal and commercial transport of heavy items has existed for some time. The problem that occurs with these small vehicles is that loading heavy items onto the truck bed can be often difficult if not impossible. The problem is only heightened if a person is working alone.
In some larger vehicles, electromechanical lifts are installed on the vehicle. These lifts allow a platform to be lowered to ground level. Items are then loaded onto the platform. Once loaded, the platform is then lifted to the height of the truck bed. The problem with these lifts is that they are expensive and cumbersome, especially, if the vehicle is used as personal transport.
Larger trucks, such as moving trucks, offer a ramp that is stored vertically under the bed of the truck. These ramps are often very long and heavy and need a large amount of storage space. Because of the storage needed, these ramps cannot be used for smaller vehicles.
Over the years different designs for ramps for use with small pick-up trucks were contemplated. One ramp is constructed having cross members that intersect with elongate members. These members are held against each other using a channel located along a length of the elongate member with the cross members sitting within the channel. The problem associated with these ramps is that if the item to be transported across the ramp is over a certain weight, the cross members will apply a large force onto the channel thereby causing the channel will bend. Once bent, the cross members will disengage from the channel resulting in grave injury to the user and/or the destruction of the item being moved.
Therefore, there is significant commercial interest in the fabrication of light-weight and durable ramp having a high weight-bearing capacity.